Uncomfortable

“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

A movie was made about a boy who lived in a plastic bubble. The young man had no immune system, so he spent his life in a bubble. I always thought, “What would that be like?” How different would every experience and interaction be if you lived in a bubble? What would you want and desire to experience the most?

It’s not a common experience for a man to have to live a life withdrawn from the world because of an illness or out of fear of one. We experienced a similar event during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Spanish flu was the same experience for the older generation. They all highlight something in us, the need for others. The need to reach out, act, and be free raises the earnest cravings of the natural man during these times. It’s unnatural to be so void of the world and contact. It’s uncomfortable.

That old phrase that appeared, “You're in my bubble,” makes a similar but personal point. “Bubble” means personal space. The phrase was another way to say, “You are in my personal space.” Some people's personal space is huge, they have a big bubble. Some, like me, have no bubble. It’s just a way of talking about and discussing what you are comfortable with socially. Another phrase, “It’s not my thing,” extends our look at being uncomfortable.

"It's not my thing" means I’m not comfortable doing that. We all have different levels of willingness to experience life that we are comfortable with. The funny thing is those boundaries change. Maybe, someone convinces you to go hiking and now hiking is in your wheelhouse of fun. Or maybe someone convinces you to play a game and now you love it. Or try a new food and it’s now your favorite. When we step outside those boundaries of comfort, we grow. When we grow, so does our “bubble,” the things we are comfortable with.

Comfort is easy, lush, and relaxing. There is no stretching, tearing, or learning needed. Comfort is doing what is enjoyable to you. The worldly way of living was easy, lush, and relaxing for us. We did what pleased us and what we wanted to do. We didn’t have to be or do anything different. When we become Christians, we are new in Christ. New. Everything is new. Everything of Christ is now outside your comfort zone. Everything of God is outside your bubble. God desires for Him and His will to be your comfort zone and the world to be outside it. How do you make that 180-degree transition when everything God asks of you is outside your comfort zone? Can you imagine how uncomfortable a new Jewish convert would have been sitting in the Corinth congregation or any Gentile group?

Whoa, hold on there! That is a lot to ask. I don’t want to change that much. I want to do the things I’m comfortable with in Christ. Why wouldn’t that be enough? Why can’t I just stop at that point? I’m in Him, I serve Him, and I love Him. I let Him in my bubble. God said you must "deny yourself." That means you must put that comfort zone aside and do what God has asked of you. You didn’t let God in your bubble, you stepped into His.

One of our most significant issues in life is that we get too comfortable. Then the uncomfortable becomes unbearable, and we self-destruct. When growing past and pushing through that comfort is supposed to make us stronger! How many times have you failed to do everything you could for Christ or take an opportunity to do good because it was uncomfortable? Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Then you can be comfortable in Christ and uncomfortable with the world. How uncomfortable are you?

- Steve Johnson

#MaysvilleMessenger